Black When I Was A Boy

Cooper Bates is a superb storyteller. In 'Black When I Was A Boy' he gives a heart-wrenching account of the humiliation and danger he continuously experienced as the only black child in a very prejudice small American town in the 70's and 80's as he was coming of age. As dark and uncomfortable as racist issues are, his lively delivery and comedic moments keep our spirits high and and our hearts hopeful throughout the show. ... full review

Bates is a vibrant and charming performer. The harrowing story is a rough reminder of the two-faced ugliness of race relations in this country—with some examples of shining humanity. ... full review

#SeeItLA Black When I Was a Boy is a series of stories that chronicle the defining moments of a young boy's life growing up in the 70s-80s as a black boy in a predominantly white Kansas town. As you can imagine, these moments revolve around the color of his skin. Namely his introductions to racism and how he learned to live in a world that hated him before they ever met him. To read the full review please visit the See It or Skip It website - http://seeitorskipitla.tumblr.com/post/174671173336/black-when-i-was-a-boy-is-a-series-of-stories-that... full review

wow, cooper puts it on the line in this high energy and touching, riveting and thought provoking one man show... full review

Loved the story...laughed, cried and wanted more.... full review

This was a great solo performance! Cooper Bates is a great story teller and I felt as though I was sharing his journey as a young boy trying to navigate life as a black child growing up in mostly white community. It was an emotional ride through happiness, sadness, anger, frustration and understanding. Worth every minute. ... full review

Amazing show! Absolutely go see... full review

WOW! The show was amazing. Brought tears to my eyes at the end. Cooper did a tremendous job playing all the different characters in his story of growing up in a racist part of our country. I highly recommend the show to ALL.... full review

This was a unique and incredible story perforned by an equally unique and incredible talent. It brought to life one child's personal journey through racism while growing up and finding his stride. I really loved this performance and only wished it was longer!... full review

This performance was both thought-provoking and comedic. ... full review